


Come With Me

by Seasider



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Original Trilogy
Genre: (sort of), Angst, Canon Compliant, Darth Vader Redemption, Death Star, Father-Son Relationship, Feels, Gen, Return of the Jedi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-31
Updated: 2020-05-31
Packaged: 2021-03-03 03:35:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,552
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24478054
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Seasider/pseuds/Seasider
Summary: On Endor and the Death Star, father and son think and decide.One-shot, complete, canon-compliant.
Relationships: Luke Skywalker & Darth Vader
Comments: 8
Kudos: 34





	Come With Me

**Luke, waiting in the shuttle**

I sit in the shuttle waiting for my father. Two stormtroopers stand guard, silent, and I want to ask: _Why do you do what you do? Do you believe so much in your cause that you’re ready to die? How do you live knowing each moment might be your last?_

My father is still in the corridor. I wonder what he‘s doing. Is he staring into the forest, his mind numb with indecision? Is he confused? I feel the good in him, the bright spark that is Anakin Skywalker. I’ve felt it since Bespin, since that first time he reached out to me as I lay wounded and dazed. His thoughts were gentle with regret. The dark veil that lay over him was lifted then, enough for me to see his true self. But it was not raised enough for me to reach inside and pull him out. I tried. I will try again. And again, never knowing which moment might be my last.

This might be that moment.

I felt him across the short expanse of space. I didn’t know that he would be here. I didn’t know that this was the time I would face him and reach for him again. I’ve planned— mostly dreamed— of this time when he would be close and I would see his eyes behind the reflective lenses. I would feel his heart full of love, denied for so many years. I would say _Come with me_ and he would realize his true path, he would see where he’d strayed, and he would fall again, this time into the Light. He was Anakin Skywalker and he would be that way forever in my heart.

Now I feel his anger, raging out of control before he reins it back. I feel his… _anguish_. I feel what he craves, what will soothe his pain, and how he longs to fill his aching, empty heart. I feel how much he needs.

I don’t know if I’m enough.

It may be that all I can do is distract the Emperor long enough for the Alliance to destroy the generator. That may be my destiny. But I hope my destiny is something more. I hope to have my father free and happy. Perhaps it will happen. Perhaps not. He may die today. I may die. But before that last moment, let me have a chance to plead again:

_Come with me._

And let him answer: _Yes._

**Vader, waiting in the corridor**

My son wants the impossible. He wants me to renounce my destiny, to give up everything I have achieved, to surrender the awesome power that I command. And in return, he thinks what he offers is enough. _Love_. He does not understand that love brings agony. Love is poison. Love destroys all it touches.

 _Come with me._ He mocks my plea. I offered everything I have to him on the gantry in Cloud City. Then, he was more afraid of living than of dying. He chose death over _me_. He chose _freedom._ And now he slaps my face with my own offer: _Come with me._ _Be free._ Fool, to think that I could be free. I have never been free. I do not know what I would do with freedom.

How many times I have thought about Bespin. Relived it over and over, changing my actions, my words, my offer. Told him of his heritage before he drew his blade. Resisted my need to test and best him, my desire to show him that I had the power, that he could share it. I would have given it to him. I still would.

Padme’s child. She lived to birth him, and then she abandoned him. She abandoned _me._ Why did she come to me on Mustafar if she intended to leave me and our child? 

_He_ would do the same if I were to let him win. _Come with me._ He knows that is impossible. Perhaps it is a dream to him, as I dreamed he would stand at my side, destroying Palpatine and ruling the galaxy as it should be ruled. But now… everything has changed. I must obey my master. Because if I do not, there is nothing left but chaos and confusion. My master is all powerful.

And yet…. _My son is with them.... I have sensed him…._

 _Strange that I have not._

Yes, strange. Where is the all-powerful Sith Lord? Where does he hide when my son’s light shines upon him? Does it blind him?

It blinds me.

My thoughts betray me and I ignite his saber. The durasteel rails cleave sharply as I swing it. I destroy the corridor, slash the transparent walls, cut into the floor. I have more anger inside me than I can express. No actions, no words, nothing will stop the swelling memories of what I have endured, of everything that was taken from me. Of what will be taken from me today. A son. _My_ son. _My only son._

Why is he not bitter? Why is he not angry? Why does he not hate the injustices as I do? Does he not _know?_ Can he not understand that he was stolen from me? That my life could have been different? Imagine… if I had Padme and our baby. Imagine… if I had gone with her as she wanted, to Naboo to raise our child there.

And give up everything I had worked for? Given it all up as easily as I had given up the Jedi Order? I could not.

But this child— this _foolish_ child— thinks he can force me into that decision. Force me to his side, into his life, into his bright, shining light.

His light would blind me.

 _Come with me_.

He would blind me.

But… I am already blind.

_Come with me._

I must go. I must take him to the Emperor. I have dallied too long, questioned too much. I must obey.

I must.

**Luke, on the Death Star**

I have my father.

_I have my father._

I can’t believe it, though I know it’s true. I knew he would choose me. I knew Anakin Skywalker would choose me.

But he is dying. Even before he says those words, I know it. I can’t bear it. After so long. Knowing him, _wanting_ him, knowing that he needed me to save him.

I saved him.

He saved me.

Now we have to save each other. But it’s too late. Why does it have to be too late?

 _Go,_ he says, and I hear: _You will always be the son of Anakin Skywalker. You will not have the burden of Vader to carry through your life._

He doesn’t understand that he wouldn’t be a burden, no matter the name. He is my father. I would do anything, go anywhere if we could be together.

He wants to look at me; I want to look at him. I want a memory to carry with me for the rest of my life.

It’s just a moment, but it must last forever. _Come with me,_ I beg. But it’s too late.

He’s gone.

I’m empty.

**Vader, on the Death Star**

My fear almost takes my son.

I almost choose Sidious over my child. Padme’s child. My shining son. This is the moment when I learn that I am more afraid of living than of dying. I did not sacrifice myself to save Padme; but I will sacrifice myself to save him. I will trade my life for his.

And now we are struck down. He holds my hand. He tries to move me. My earnest, beautiful boy tries so hard. He does not give up, he will not surrender.

He struggles; he cannot levitate me, and I cannot help him. The Emperor’s lightning has crippled us both.

He will die if he keeps trying. And I know he will keep trying.

He must _live._

 _Come with me_ , he pleads.

 _Leave me,_ I command.

He needs to see me; I need to see him. I speak of my own need, not his, for now I know the way of his heart. In his life, he will always be second. He will always put others before himself.

So I use his weakness to save him. _Let me look at you,_ I say, and he obeys.

He sees me; I see him. It’s only a moment, but it’s a lifetime. It’s everything we have. He does not want me to leave; his heart is shattering as mine did long ago. But my heart grows full again, now, and I know that his heart will mend with time.

I smile. It is all I have to give him. I tell him to leave. Go quickly, be saved, _my son…._

My body leaves. What little remains of it is gone. But still he persists, dragging my heavy armor on board the shuttle. He is saved, but his heart is in pieces. It hurts more than his agonizing burns. I know his pain. I feel it. I reach out to him. I tell him I am here, not really gone. I tell him that I will never truly leave him. He hears me; he tries to smile.

And I tell him that, finally, I have come with him.

 **OooOoo**


End file.
